the show-and-tell lion

I decided to look at my stack of books last night and pull a few to read completely through and blog about.  I don't know why I let the show-and-tell lion by Barbara Abercrombie sit in a stack and not in my classroom.  It's a perfect book for writing.  Matthew has nothing to say for a typical show and tell classroom experience.  Matthew uses his imagination to create a story about his lion, Larry.  As Matthew's friends ask questions he creates more stories and his imagination is quite vivid.  When his friends suggest a field trip to his house to meet Larry, Matthew knows he needs figure out how to tell the truth and with his mother's encouragement to tell the truth he thinks of a solution.  Writing.  He puts his stories into a book.  A couple of friends struggle accepting the lion isn't real until Matthew states, he's real in my head.  I love how Matthew is able to orally tell stories, is creative, and puts his stories into a book.  For many children orally telling a story is the first step before putting it on paper.  It's also easier for many children to tell a story than to write.  I think it's important to remember the ease or talking and embrace it to promote writing.  The illustrations done by Lynne Avril Cravath are beautiful and soft by using chalk pastels and acrylics.